Vital Villa Interviews 2012: VillanPete

As soon as I was old enough to take to Villa Park. My father and grandfather were both Villa fans and it was unthinkable that I would be anything else.My earliest memories are of watching pre-season friendlies between the first team and the reserves and standing in the Holte watching the double winning Spurs team beat us 2-0 in the cup in front of a massive crowd.

2) Paul Lambert? Your opinion please?

Good choice. Obviously an intelligent, professional who has taken his managerial career very seriously and plotted his way through it well. Villa is an obvious next step for him. With all due respect to Norwich they are simply not able to offer the same opportunities and do not have the same potential. My hope is that he is given the time and support to revive the club as I feel he has all the credentials to be a success.

3) Best and worst moments of last season?

Best moment was the final whistle on the final day knowing the agony was over. Worst moment was the realisation as to what we were in for when they were happy to come away with a 2-0 defeat ! at Spurs after an abject performance.

4) Your opinion of Randy Lerner and the board, can a decent season next season make up for last season?

Overall I think Lerner has been good for the club. Reigning in the finances is understandable given the current financial situation and the money that MON wasted. Some of the footballing decisions have been poor so whoever is responsible for advising him on those decisions is an idiot and needs a new job. Last season, like pain, will soon be forgotten if the team show some desire and the football is worth watching. Villa fans are often being criticised for being unrealistic but I do not feel that is the case. I, like most of them, just want to see a team that plays without fear and competes. I can take them losing if I feel that they have given it a go but to lose as we did so often last season was unacceptable.

5) Which player/s should Villa sign this summer?

A right back - maybe Naughton (though I remember what Agbonlahor did to him on his one good day last season).A centre back - Rakitskiy from Shakhtar looked impressiveA strong athletic defensive midfield player - could we get Essien for the last few years of his career or Hargreaves would be worth a punt.Some loans - Lukaku from Chelsea, Frimpong from Arsenal.

6) Which player/s should Villa get rid of this summer?

Hutton -no explanation required.Agbonlahor - a one trick pony with no football brain. Should have sold him when his stock was high a couple of seasons ago.

Given - too small + does not command his box.

One of the centre backs so that Clark can be given an opportunity to play in his correct position.

7) Favourite current player?

Barry Bannan. Play him in the centre or left centre in a 3 man midfield. Tell him that he does not have to always play the killer ball and watch him blossom.

8) Favourite all time player/s?

Brian Little - a wonderful footballer who scored goals, made goals and linked play brilliantly. A yard quicker and he would have been one of the best forwards in the world. An absolute travesty that he got just one cap as a substitute.

9) What do you expect us to do/finish this season assuming a decent transfer window with £25m or so spent?

Premier Anywhere from 6-11FA Cup: Don't care as long as we give it a go when we draw a Premiership team away in the 4th round.Carling: Ditto

10) You can ask yourself any question you want to about Villa and what is your answer?

Why do we seem to have an inferiority complex about certain clubs. It is about time that we realised that Villa are the 5th most successful club in English football history and the 5th most successful club in Premiership history. We have earned the right to take our place at the top table of English football and as the song goes 'if you know your history it's enough to make your heart go oooooooooooooooooh' Be proud and say it loud -fear no one!

11) Just to change the theme slightly, a snap shot of you outside of football, answer or ignore at your leisure: (based on our WHO ARE YOU thread!!!)

a) Which celebrity/s would you most like to meet and why? Raquel Welch - always fancied an intellectual discussion with her

g) Favourite TV Show/s: Only fools and Horses and the Old Grey Whistle Test (showing my age -is it still on?)

h) Music?: You name it - soul music, rock music any music. If I like it, I like it!

i) Best ever moment in your life: Being present at the births of my 2 sons

j) Ambitions: To live long enough to see Villa beat Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea (oh and I suppose Man City now) in the same season

k) Wise words: Enjoy when you can, endure when you must (Goethe) - we can surely sympathise with that one1Never explain. Your friends do not ne! ed it and your enemies will never believe it anyway. (Elbert Hubbard)